New 'Footloose' Trailer Makes Me Miss Kevin Bacon (VIDEO)

When I say I loved the original Footloose movie, I mean I LOVED it, memorized every word of it, and sat in junior high every day waiting for my own Ren McCormack/Kevin Bacon (same person to me then and now) to walk in and save me from my dull, dreary existence. So when I heard the remake was coming, I was a little excited, but mostly apprehensive.

The trailer for the new version, scheduled to hit theatres in October, was released today, and unfortunately it confirms my worst fears. Before I taint it too much with my opinion, take a look for yourself and see what you think:

It's just so ... unnecessary and wrong. There's nothing wrong with the old version; we don't need a new one that's just like the old one, but with people who aren't who they should be. Kenny Wormald may be a fine dancer, but he is NOT Ren. He won't ever be. The whole thing almost looks like a parody of the original.

I suppose in order to attract the new generation (and yes, I know I sound ancient saying that), they need hot young stars (Julianne Hough plays Ariel Moore, who was originally played by Lori Singer), but there's just no one who can do these roles better than the original stars.

Besides, can kids today really relate to a town that outlaws dancing when any teen in any podunk town can sext around the world all day? Throwing in a few modern dance moves and dressing the girls in half shirts (which, by the way, Lori Singer would NEVER have worn) can't magically transform the classic masterpiece into something relatable today.

Instead I fear it's those like me who grew up watching the movie over and over until our VCR tapes broke from all the rewinding that will be going to see the remake and wind up sorely disappointed.

Maybe I'm wrong, and it will be a fabulous film to captivate and inspire another generation. I HOPE I'm wrong and that I eat every single word of this along with a large popcorn and peanut M&Ms.